Impact Stories

2017: The Year in Impact

It’s been a year of moments – some that have been months or even years in the making and some that took us completely by surprise.

In one of the most exciting news events we’ve heard this year, our “Youth Unleashed” Youth Venture team created an app that took them all the way to MassChallenge – a prestigious competition for startup funding that accepts only 8% of teams that apply.

After years of planning, we launched the Massachusetts Early Learning Alliance, a place for early education providers to combine forces and realize some serious purchasing power. For many, the savings they’ll achieve will enable them to keep their doors open – and to continue working on behalf our smallest and most vulnerable constituents.

Boston Builds Credit, the first-ever citywide credit building initiative, was launched this year as an effort to use credit building to promote financial resilience in Boston. This was welcome news for over 200,000 Boston residents who have poor or non-existent credit scores and subsequently pay higher interest and fees on mortgages, home insurance, car loans, and college financing, making upward mobility completely out of the question.

In August, we felt the power of community coming together in our first ever Project Homeless Connect – where more than 100 homeless families connected with resources and services to help them get back on their feet – from back to school backpacks and supplies for the kids, to financial checkups for parents, and dental screenings and haircuts for all.

There have been so many moments like these, and we wouldn’t be celebrating them if not for the support of our donors, volunteers, agencies and corporate partners. We’ll publish a story every day this month – join us as we celebrate our many moments of impact from this year!